tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130Sat, 07 Feb 2015 19:00:34 +0000On WritingBook Reviewsyoung adultmiddle gradeShort StoriesShameless AddictionscontemporaryWeekly Twitter FavoritesrevisionconferencesIllustrationhistorical fictionmysterycontestsscifiTVdystopianfantasyflashfictionvoiceCounting Thymequeryblog awardsliterary fictionGuest PostsPBpollsneuroblastomaseriesMelanie Writeshttp://www.melanieconklin.com/noreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)Blogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-7237467234142772825Wed, 04 Feb 2015 14:05:00 +00002015-02-04T09:05:56.228-05:00Counting ThymeneuroblastomaEver heard of Neuroblastoma?The story in <a href="http://www.melanieconklin.com/p/home.html" target="_blank"><i>Counting Thyme</i></a> centers on a family whose youngest child is in the midst of treatment for neuroblastoma. Seeing as today is #WorldCancerDay, I thought I would share some information on what the heck that means, for anyone who is curious.<br /><br />First of all, childhood cancer is far more prevalent than you might think. According to <a href="http://www.bandofparents.org/neuroblastoma.html" target="_blank">Band of Parents</a> (highly recommended reading!), one in 330 kids will develop cancer by age 20. That number sure shocked me. In the case of neuroblastoma, which is the most common cancer in children under 2 years of age, the numbers are even worse. NB is cancer of the nervous system. It has a five-year survival rate of just 30%.<br /><br />I first learned about NB about eight years ago, when we were living in Brooklyn, NY. There was a family in our Park Slope neighborhood whose son was diagnosed with NB. New to parenthood at that time, I followed their blog closely, crying way more often than not. I had no idea that this was what parents went through for their children. I had no idea that the world could be so cruel.<br /><br />Neuroblastoma is devastating because it is often not found until it is Stage IV, and it has such a high relapse rate that patients often develop secondary cancers and conditions from all of the chemotherapy. The hope for NB patients is that medicine will continue to develop new theraputics, like the immunotherapies currently in trial stages. Unfortunately, the funding landscape doesn't reflect this need. The National Cancer Institute's funded research portfolio in 2010 was $3 billion. Of that, breast cancer received 21%, prostate cancer received 10% and ALL 12 major groups of pediatric cancers combined received less than 3%.<br /><br /><b>Less than 3%!</b><br /><br />To put that in perspective, each child in the U.S. diagnosed with cancer receives approximately one sixth of the federal research support allocated to each patient afflicted with AIDS, even though cancer accounts for the greatest number of deaths of children in the U.S. and kills more children per year than cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, asthma and AIDS combined.<br /><br />The good news is, funding is something we can CHANGE.<br /><br />The Band of Parents that I mentioned earlier includes the parents I came to know in Brookyln. Their non-profit group <a href="http://www.bandofparents.org/donate.html" target="_blank">accepts donations to support research efforts</a>. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/Grants_Funded_s/181.htm" target="_blank">Cookies for Kids Cancer</a> is an incredible group that raises funds for NB research. These Good Cookies sprung up right around the time that I became aware of the NB community in Brooklyn. I cherish my memories of baking cookies in a half-broken rented oven off of Flatbush Avenue, and later at the French Culinary Institute. Since 2008, <a href="http://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/donate.asp" target="_blank">support from Good Cookies like YOU</a> has helped Cookies for Kids' Cancer fund nearly 6 DOZEN childhood cancer research grants, leading to 11 promising new treatments now in clinical trial, available to children fighting cancer TODAY.<br /><br />There are many great organizations out there raising funds for many worthy causes. These are just two groups that happen to mean a lot to me. Thanks for reading about them!<br /><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2015/02/ever-heard-of-neuroblastoma.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-8151018070124353758Tue, 20 Jan 2015 17:26:00 +00002015-01-20T12:26:38.296-05:00IllustrationShort StoriesShort Story: Life of a Writer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gQGWC-jWEIM/VL6Pmb8I_QI/AAAAAAAAB4Q/0Uh_El0nHAM/s1600/lifeofawriterbymel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gQGWC-jWEIM/VL6Pmb8I_QI/AAAAAAAAB4Q/0Uh_El0nHAM/s1600/lifeofawriterbymel.jpg" /></a></div><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2015/01/short-story-life-of-writer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-1398359600707459118Fri, 12 Dec 2014 16:37:00 +00002014-12-12T11:37:11.193-05:00Short StoriesShort Story (in Pictures): Tis' the Season of GivingWhenever I indulge in that ever-recurring fantasy about winning the lottery, the first thing I imagine is giving money to other people. Being as thorough as I am, I have even planned the order and corresponding amounts of cash that I would gift upon the world. The good news is, I would like to give money to everyone. The bad news is, I haven't won the lottery, which is largely due to the fact that I don't play the lottery. Thus, the self-indulgent fantasy.<br /><br />So, in lieu of cold, hard (why isn't it soft? isn't money soft?) cash, I give you a series of weird yet inspirational images that have made me think this year. These are the kind of things I collect in a folder called FODDER. My husband sends me a lot of these weird things. I like to call him the FODDERER, because if there's one thing we love in our house, it's making stuff up. Even words.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aeZ9mMtvZWw/VIsWF-AqCVI/AAAAAAAAB3M/d3-wsd6J2lU/s1600/1558485_10204020284880777_1267022657014400262_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aeZ9mMtvZWw/VIsWF-AqCVI/AAAAAAAAB3M/d3-wsd6J2lU/s1600/1558485_10204020284880777_1267022657014400262_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this statement. I love this old building. It reminds me of long gravel roads in NC with surprises hidden in the cornfields.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YCpzcBIJqAE/VIsWv23CakI/AAAAAAAAB3U/YeymRNuaPr4/s1600/Marie_curies_notebook.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YCpzcBIJqAE/VIsWv23CakI/AAAAAAAAB3U/YeymRNuaPr4/s1600/Marie_curies_notebook.jpeg" height="248" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marie Curie's Notebook. YES. YES, THAT'S REALLY IT. Try not to drool on your screen too much. (And yes I tried to read it all.)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--lgErsmDYAM/VIsXBSjKEmI/AAAAAAAAB3c/Bgn8sYIEuT0/s1600/10153239_10152334543799483_8863320740450636454_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--lgErsmDYAM/VIsXBSjKEmI/AAAAAAAAB3c/Bgn8sYIEuT0/s1600/10153239_10152334543799483_8863320740450636454_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids inside of a geodesic dome made out of rolled newspaper, because that is beyond cool, and I'd like to give that teacher a high five.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qntex_kTodE/VIsYdVYP-BI/AAAAAAAAB3o/MZF34S9uCjQ/s1600/chrysopeleaSnake.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qntex_kTodE/VIsYdVYP-BI/AAAAAAAAB3o/MZF34S9uCjQ/s1600/chrysopeleaSnake.png" height="160" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a Chrysopelea snake. It flies through the air. That is amazing.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9EUNBW_P4oE/VIsYw9A4DxI/AAAAAAAAB3w/mWmTaw_tZK8/s1600/Bj1mRpnIUAMDn6i.jpg_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9EUNBW_P4oE/VIsYw9A4DxI/AAAAAAAAB3w/mWmTaw_tZK8/s1600/Bj1mRpnIUAMDn6i.jpg_large.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Denmark, they set up cafe tables on the ice in winter. (!!!)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pz5eBPWciyI/VIsZBhoAWdI/AAAAAAAAB34/Wg2r31g2BVM/s1600/1150169_620140248026036_287581501_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pz5eBPWciyI/VIsZBhoAWdI/AAAAAAAAB34/Wg2r31g2BVM/s1600/1150169_620140248026036_287581501_n.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally, a reminder that there are always more stories waiting to be told.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/12/short-story-in-pictures-tis-season-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-6109218483195139627Fri, 14 Nov 2014 04:08:00 +00002014-11-13T23:12:01.804-05:00conferencesOn WritingPlot v/s StoryI just had the incredible fortune to attend the Writer Unboxed UnConference, a unique gathering of writers in Salem, Massachusetts for a week long study of writing craft. I've attended several conferences in the past few years, but this one was like no other. Our entire focus, every single day, every session, was on craft alone. No pitching. No marketing. Nothing but WRITING.<br /><br />Yeah, it was pretty much heaven.<br /><br />Now that I've had a few days to decompress from taking in all of that information, I wanted to throw out a few notes on the theme that connected nearly all of the craft sessions: focusing on STORY.<br /><br />It's super easy to misconstrue plot for story, so that's the first bit of info to note. According to the brilliant Lisa Cron (highly recommend her book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wired-Story-Writers-Science-Sentence/dp/1607742454" target="_blank">WIRED FOR STORY</a>):<br /><br /><b>Story is how what happens effects someone in pursuit of a difficult goal.</b><br /><br /><b>Plot is HOW that happens.</b><br /><br />Story is change. It is the Inner Journey. It must be defined to choose a plot.<br /><br />Plot is externalization. It is the Outer Journey. The specifics are flexible. In a way, it doesn't MATTER what your plot is, only how it creates a sense of meaning and journey of change.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zy2mJQyodkc/VGVvMl78VPI/AAAAAAAAB2k/TckSAhsvR2k/s1600/PlotvsStoryDoodle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zy2mJQyodkc/VGVvMl78VPI/AAAAAAAAB2k/TckSAhsvR2k/s400/PlotvsStoryDoodle.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />If you're anything like me, it's a relief to think this way. It's a relief to LET GO OF PLOT. To know that what matters is nailing the emotional journey of your character, especially in the first draft. Now, of course I believe that certain external specifics are better choices than others, in terms of suiting your themes, maximizing your conflict, and maintaining the pace of your story.<br /><br /><b>How to put this connection into action?</b><br /><br />There are two opportunities: before you write, and during revision.<br /><b><br /></b><b>Before you write, it's key to identify the core elements of your STORY.</b><br /><br />What is your character's emotional arc over the course of the story? How do they start out? How do they change by the end? Even if you have zero clue about the plot mechanisms that will get you to your conclusion, you need to have this transformative process in mind for your characters. Note, that's ALL of your characters. Ask yourself the same questions about your secondary characters. Let them star in their own complicated stories. If you begin drafting with some of this character backSTORY in mind, you'll tap into the heart of the story more effectively.<br /><br />Notice how I capitalized part of backSTORY? That's because I see so many worksheets asking ten million questions about character traits that honestly don't teach you much about your characters. Instead of figuring out their favorite flavor of ice cream, ask the heavy questions: what happened in your character's past that changed his or her life? How was this moment a turning point in your character's life? How did this event leave your character with a false self image, a falsity that they will not shed until they complete the journey in your narrative? Dig in for the tough stuff, and you'll have your backSTORY.<br /><br /><b>Once you hit revision, you have another chance to evaluate your PLOT choices.</b><br /><br />Look at the progression of the overall character arc, and examine the effectiveness of each subplot and scene. Do all of your choices support your core story? Is there a way to increase the conflict by choosing a different inciting moment? By shifting to a new quest or subplot? By changing the setting and characters present in a scene?<br /><br />Once you have a draft to work with, you can hone in on the right plot choices, the ones that increase tension and raise stakes. Remember, changing your plot choices is OKAY. Your plot is just a series of steps from point A to point B. You can change those steps out for a yellow brick road. You can cut through the woods instead of following the stream. You really can steer that path where you want it to go, because plot is a function of STORY--and YOU are the storyteller.<br /><br />Happy writing, everyone!<br /><br /><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/11/plot-vs-story.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-8483822537850343799Tue, 28 Oct 2014 22:47:00 +00002014-11-12T18:20:10.184-05:00Book Reviewsmiddle gradeBooks for BoysI can't tell you how often I hear friends looking for book recommendations for their middle grade aged boys on the Facebook, or on the blacktop after school. It's hard to find books for this age set if you're not tuned in to reading blogs and Newbery lists.<br /><br />To be clear, by middle grade I mean grades 3 through 7, age 8 to 12 (roughly). Anyone can enjoy a middle grade read, but in terms of content as appropriate to age of reader, this is the rough guideline for the designation. For example, if you're not ready for your child to read THE HUNGER GAMES because of the overall concept of kids fighting kids to the death, then middle grade is where you want to go for some great books.<br /><br />Now, as far as the gender thing goes, I firmly believe that anyone can enjoy any book, if it's the right book for them. Middle grade is a great source for books that appeal to both genders, with the acknowledgement that individual readers will have their own tastes, and that's okay! <br /><br />With no further blabbery from me, here's a list of some FABULOUS middle grade reads, ones that offer plenty of action, humor, and heart:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17934459-the-riverman?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_book" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Riverman (The Riverman Trilogy, #1)" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386380973m/17934459.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE RIVERMAN by Aaron Starmer</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13228487-the-dragonet-prophecy?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_book" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Dragonet Prophecy (Wings of Fire, #1)" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1339198070m/13228487.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE DRAGONET PROPHECY by Tui T. Sutherland</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17928557-the-great-greene-heist?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_book" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Great Greene Heist" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1389280449m/17928557.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE GREAT GREENE HEIST by Varian Johnson</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19085562-the-fourteenth-goldfish?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_book" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Fourteenth Goldfish" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1392722452m/19085562.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE FOURTEENTH GOLDFISH by Jennifer L. Holm</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18405502-steering-toward-normal?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_book" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Steering Toward Normal" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1380754676m/18405502.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">STEERING TOWARD NORMAL by Rebecca Petruck</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18079643-by-the-grace-of-todd?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_book" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="By the Grace of Todd" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1374639166m/18079643.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BY THE GRACE OF TODD by Louise Galveston</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/556136.The_Wednesday_Wars?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_book" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Wednesday Wars" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1407066955m/556136.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THE WEDNESDAY WARS by Gary Schmidt</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/439173.Frindle?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_book" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Frindle" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344395824m/439173.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FRINDLE by Andrew Clements</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span data-ft="{&quot;tn&quot;:&quot;K&quot;}" data-reactid=".1u.1:3:1:$comment817056015006154_817066715005084:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1u.1:3:1:$comment817056015006154_817066715005084:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1u.1:3:1:$comment817056015006154_817066715005084:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0"><span data-ft="{&quot;tn&quot;:&quot;K&quot;}" data-reactid=".1u.1:3:1:$comment817056015006154_817084275003328:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".1u.1:3:1:$comment817056015006154_817084275003328:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".1u.1:3:1:$comment817056015006154_817084275003328:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1:$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">&nbsp;</span></span></span> </span></span></span>http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/10/books-for-boys.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-4452697979426948549Sun, 05 Oct 2014 23:24:00 +00002014-10-05T19:27:07.334-04:00contestsmiddle gradeShort StoriesShort Story: 777 Challenge!I don't usually participate in blog hops, especially of works in progress, because, well, IN PROGRESS! But I guess I'm feeling super share-y today, so I'm hopping on the 777 challenge thanks to <a href="http://www.ashleyherringblake.com/blog/2014/9/29/777-challenge">Ashley Herring Blake</a>, a fellow Sweet Sixteener.<br /><br />What's the 777 Challenge?<br /><br />You get to read the first full 7 lines on the 7th page, starting 7 lines down, of my WIP, which is a contemporary middle grade story about a girl named Sky, whose musical family sends her to deaf camp after she suffers hearing loss due to an illness. There are tent mates and horses, a villainous camp counselor and an enormous inflatable Blob...<br /><br />Without further blabbery, here it is, a sneak preview of THE SOUND OF BRAVE:<br /><br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i>When I opened my eyes, there was a shadow across the envelope.<br /><br />The purple cabin leader was standing next to my bed.<br /><br />I sat up, and her hands started flailing rapid-fire, touching her cheek and chin, swirling around in front of her body. Rock Island was an immersion camp. Which meant all sign language, all the time, no exceptions. In theory, the cabin leader’s finger flails were supposed to magically mean something to me, even though I'd never studied sign language a single day in my life. Well, I had news for her. She could flail all she wanted. I wasn't going anywhere.</i></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;"><br /></div>I can't wait for you all to meet Sky in the near future! Here are the seven writers I'm tagging. Happy sharing, and happy writing all! :)<br /><br /><a href="http://wcoltenhibbs.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Colten Hibbs</a><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/JeffChenWrites" target="_blank">Jeff Chen</a><br /><a href="http://paulrobertadams.com/" target="_blank">Paul Adams</a><br /><a href="http://www.brian-sargent.com/" target="_blank">Brian Sargent</a><br /><a href="http://www.rebeccalsutton.com/" target="_blank">Rebecca Sutton</a><br /><a href="http://teenscanwritetoo.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">John Hansen</a><br /><a href="http://ellaschwartz.net/" target="_blank">Ella Schwartz&nbsp;</a><br /><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/10/short-story-777-challenge.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-4607528334380244019Mon, 15 Sep 2014 04:00:00 +00002014-09-15T08:48:43.672-04:00IllustrationIt's International Dot Day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cAJV1P13y38/VBZWh8cuX9I/AAAAAAAABxk/mpFkr8mHzfU/s1600/Screen-Shot-2012-09-05-at-5.59.44-PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cAJV1P13y38/VBZWh8cuX9I/AAAAAAAABxk/mpFkr8mHzfU/s1600/Screen-Shot-2012-09-05-at-5.59.44-PM.png" height="167" width="400" /></a></div><br />Today is <a href="http://www.thedotclub.org/dotday/" target="_blank">International Dot Day</a>! Inspired by Peter H. Reynold's classic children's book, THE DOT, this is a day to make your mark on the world. I had the good fortune to meet Peter at BEA this year, and he really is an ambassador of creativity. My boys positively lit up when I gave them Peter's bookmaking kit after the show.<br /><br />Now, today, I get to reveal <a href="http://www.celebridots.com/2014/09/melanie-conklin.html" target="_blank">my very own Celebri-Dot</a>! As a designer first and an author second, the art of mark-making still captures my heart. Whenever I begin a new drawing, I always warm up by making a series of marks--ellipses, from 10 degree to 90, which is a full circle--and there is nothing like the feel of my pen cutting into the paper.<br /><br />About my dot: in creative pursuits, it can often feel like you're stabbing in the dark, again and again, and it's not until you step back that you can see you have made your mark. That's what I've tried to capture here, with a take on pointillism, which is a technique I frequently employ in my illustrations.<br /><br />Without further ado, here it is, my mark on the world!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FceXU2ASoFo/VBZXg4m3phI/AAAAAAAABxw/RG_GRdxSNDw/s1600/Melanie_Conklin_Dot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FceXU2ASoFo/VBZXg4m3phI/AAAAAAAABxw/RG_GRdxSNDw/s1600/Melanie_Conklin_Dot.jpg" height="400" title="" width="400" /></a></div><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/09/its-international-dot-day.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-5829888701225084420Tue, 02 Sep 2014 21:20:00 +00002014-09-02T17:20:38.115-04:00Counting ThymeCookies for Kids' CancerSeptember is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. As some of you know, my forthcoming novel COUNTING THYME centers on a girl named Thyme whose little brother is fighting neuroblastoma. As I work to improve this novel, I often read the blogs of families and children affected by childhood cancer, which is as devastating as it is unfathomable. I owe a debt to their sharing, their kindnesses, and their struggles. I hope to honor their children with Thyme's story in 2016. Until then, I will continue to support my friend's amazing organization, <a href="http://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/" target="_blank">Cookies for Kids' Cancer</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LZyM8l1fB3s/VAY0O1fMKfI/AAAAAAAABw8/H2XzX2qCndA/s1600/cookies.jpg" height="364" width="640" /></a></div>http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/09/cookies-for-kids-cancer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-1084844446297077934Fri, 18 Jul 2014 13:42:00 +00002014-07-18T10:05:08.781-04:00On WritingShameless AddictionsNeed a Little Inspiration?I'm a visual person. I doodle on everything, and I get lost in pictures. I also get lost when I drive somewhere at night because the journey looks so different than in the daytime. My kids will tell you within five minutes of riding in our car that "Mommy gets lost a lot."<br /><br />But you know what? Sometimes getting lost is exactly what you need to find your way.<br /><br />Here are some of the places I go to lose myself on purpose.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tXsHmrGiGs4/U8khnvhwBUI/AAAAAAAABvE/4p4fF1042ZE/s1600/glaciers_bear1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tXsHmrGiGs4/U8khnvhwBUI/AAAAAAAABvE/4p4fF1042ZE/s1600/glaciers_bear1a.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nasa satellite pictures! You can visit any place on earth by going to their website. And the images are rights free!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-orMn95-X75A/U8kh9pruR6I/AAAAAAAABvM/OHgzHqVmiGI/s1600/nosebutt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-orMn95-X75A/U8kh9pruR6I/AAAAAAAABvM/OHgzHqVmiGI/s1600/nosebutt.jpg" height="66" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The streets. Whether you live in the city or the country, LOOK as you go.<br />The human imagination is all around you.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xMuFQYF6wgU/U8ki_AsF1wI/AAAAAAAABvU/rfiL3jEP2wc/s1600/1150169_620140248026036_287581501_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xMuFQYF6wgU/U8ki_AsF1wI/AAAAAAAABvU/rfiL3jEP2wc/s1600/1150169_620140248026036_287581501_n.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The news. I collect interesting links in a folder by "printing" the articles to PDFs.<br />When in need of inspiration, I browse!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jm2MPpkBxJA/U8kjeByVjMI/AAAAAAAABvc/DorV74NYEak/s1600/photo+1+copy+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jm2MPpkBxJA/U8kjeByVjMI/AAAAAAAABvc/DorV74NYEak/s1600/photo+1+copy+2.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The garden. If you don't have a nice outdoor space, borrow someone else's. Pull weeds. Tidy things up. Gardening for even a short amount of time clears the mind, and the plants fill you with color and form.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcvdA3DVgRE/U8kj01izr0I/AAAAAAAABvk/8P9JZUPnidI/s1600/snowman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcvdA3DVgRE/U8kj01izr0I/AAAAAAAABvk/8P9JZUPnidI/s1600/snowman.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Memories. It's easy to think we remember, but a quick look through old photos will being details to life in vibrant, heart-squeezing emotion. (This is my Mom, sister, and me, with one of many stylish snowmen from my childhood)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/07/need-little-inspiration.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-6671234710175388986Wed, 18 Jun 2014 19:05:00 +00002014-06-18T15:05:09.050-04:00IllustrationRevision Supplies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_DAWv3wXKXA/U6HixmQGNMI/AAAAAAAABu0/Pta5CXX50Os/s1600/revision_supplies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_DAWv3wXKXA/U6HixmQGNMI/AAAAAAAABu0/Pta5CXX50Os/s1600/revision_supplies.jpg" height="290" width="400" /></a></div><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/06/revision-supplies.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-3646413950698026901Sun, 01 Jun 2014 19:06:00 +00002014-06-01T15:14:18.863-04:00conferencesThe Truth About BEA & BookConI just got back from this year's BEA event in NYC, and I want to summarize a few things for those of you who wonder what happens there, or what this BookCon thing is, or what's going to happen to BEA in the future...which is a big question, for sure.<br /><br /><b>BEA is short for Book Expo America.</b><br /><br />It's a trade show held at the Javits convention center in NYC each year (until 2015, that is). If you've never been to a trade show, imagine an enormous building the scale of a concert hall, lined with booths and banners. What's in all of those booths? Publishers, but also companies that are related to publishing (including printing services, toy companies, app groups, etc).<br /><br />For most people, the only parts of the BEA floor that hold interest are the publisher's booths. During the show, you can get ARCs (Advance Reader Copies) of books from these booths, as well as line up to get books signed by certain authors (there's also a large Autographing Area for this specific purpose). What this means overall is that you end up walking around a crowded convention hall, trying to decide which book to line up for, if the line is too long, or if there might be a book drop (an unscheduled release of ARCs) at any of the big booths.<br /><br /><b>Yes, you can get a bunch of books for FREE at BEA...but that's changing.</b><br /><br />While this year's event is fresh in my mind, here's what I think is coming: BEA as a trade show has lost some of it's past functionality. Meaning, there aren't a TON of publishing deals going down at the show compared to the past. Publishers are seeing less incentive to spend a lot of money on the event (and that means fewer free books for attendees).<br /><br />Plus, the books they are giving away aren't intended as awesome presents from heaven--they're intended to help market the upcoming books and build buzz. That's why the event is traditionally limited to publishing professionals, including bloggers. Bloggers and avid readers will promote a book and build buzz, and therefore are worth the investment. The general public isn't considered as great of an investment when it comes to ARCs.<br /><br />This year, I also noticed that the ARCs were even more tightly controlled than last year. Many book drops were scheduled, instead of being randomly set out. Some of the book drops even required lines, which meant that over all, you weren't going to grab as many books (because there is only so much time, and you can only wait in so many lines).<br /><br />So, professional or public, BEA is changing.<br /><br />It's not so much about the books anymore.<br /><br /><b>Instead, BEA is evolving into a more consumer-centric event with the advent of BookCon.</b><br /><br />Now, BookCon came about in a way that was uber confusing for a lot of attendees. Last year, BEA offered Power Reader passes, which were one-day passes for the public to attend the show on Saturday. This was the only opportunity for "non-publishing" people to attend this show. Usually, you have to be an author, blogger, or publishing professional of some sort to attend (again, that whole "investment" concept).<br /><br />But back to BookCon. This year, after Power Reader passes were sold, attendees were informed that a new event was taking place--BookCon--and that their Power Reader passes were being reassigned to this event. Most people crossed their fingers and hoped for the best: that BookCon would be the same as Power Reader day last year.<br /><br />Well, it wasn't.<br /><br />And it's not going to be in the future, either.<br /><br />BookCon is run by the same entity that runs ComicCon. They are focused on consumers, celebrity, and drawing large amounts of revenue by bringing those two entities together. Like ComicCon, BookCon was focused on panels. Panels are basically presentations/Q&amp;As with important people of some sort--in BookCon's case, the panels were mainly focused on authors and celebrities with tie-ins to publishing or book-to-film projects (like TFioS, Stan Lee &amp; Marvel books, Dystopian panel including Veronica Roth). Yes, there were panels on other topics like diversity, but by and large, the panels were focused on presenters with some clout behind their names, culminating in the TFioS panel with John Green.<br /><br /><b>So, what happened at BookCon?</b><br /><br />Basically, thousands of people showed up and lined up for different panels or a few select book giveaways on the BEA floor. By noon, publishers on the BEA floor started packing up. Their trade show was over, which was utterly confusing to many of the BookCon attendees hoping for free books. There weren't a lot of those on Saturday, because BookCon attendees are perceived as the general public, and remember, they aren't the intended audience for ARCs. But there were a lot of opportunities to line up and see celebrities, as well as a greater emphasis on poster, sticker, and button giveaways.<br /><br />So, if you're considering attending BEA next year, while it's still in NYC, here are a few important details to keep in mind:<br /><br /><ul><li>BEA is evolving toward a pop culture event for consumers centered around books and authors, as quoted from<a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bea/article/59772-bea-moves-to-chicago-in-2016-where-next.html" target="_blank"> this PW article</a>.</li><li>BookCon organizers have announced the intention to hold MULTIPLE BookCon days in 2015, with an increased focus on consumer attendance and revenue generation, as described <a href="http://www.blackchristiannews.com/2014/05/bookexpo-america-and-bookcon-likely-to-expand-to-4-days-in-2015/" target="_blank">here</a>.</li><li>BEA is moving to Chicago in 2016, and the word I heard is that many publishing pros will not be able to justify attending, and so the event is likely to evolve even further toward the ComicCon approach. Meaning, there will be a focus on books and authors, but in the celebrity-viewing sense, with fewer free books.</li><li>Many authors attend BEA because it's in NYC, and they get a chance to meet with their editors, agents, and publishing friends while in town. Many of us are only at the show itself for smaller periods of time, so a lot of the fun stuff you see on Twitter and the like is not even at BEA itself.</li></ul><br />So, consider all of this before you invest in attending--what will you get out of BEA? Or BookCon? They are fun events,&nbsp; but also events with a very specific purposes, and those purposes are changing. In the future, I think BEA will have less and less emphasis on books, and more on cultural tie-ins that tend to be more lucrative, as evidenced with the shift toward BookCon. It's something to keep in mind.http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/06/the-truth-about-bea-bookcon.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-432760802422684260Wed, 21 May 2014 13:22:00 +00002014-05-21T09:22:52.852-04:00On WritingPBThe Why<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MGsirfQzbvY/U3ynZT9ppCI/AAAAAAAABrY/q_RopDzJ2Rg/s1600/photo+1+copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MGsirfQzbvY/U3ynZT9ppCI/AAAAAAAABrY/q_RopDzJ2Rg/s1600/photo+1+copy.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My younger son and I, reading MY TRUCK IS STUCK to his class</td></tr></tbody></table><br />It can be easy to forget why we do this work, what with deadlines and doubts and all of the things we do in our own little writerly vacuums. The good news: All it takes is reading a book to a class of eager young readers to remember the why.<br /><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/05/the-why.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-5986282852809618565Thu, 08 May 2014 11:00:00 +00002014-05-08T07:00:08.446-04:00Short StoriesShort Story: My Brief Flirtation with the DevilI've been getting a certain question quite a bit lately, especially since I attended #NESCBWI14 (which was fab! you should go!). That question is: When did you start writing?<br /><br />Typically, I answer that while I did study literature in college (along with product design), I didn't really start writing with the aim of producing a novel until about three years ago. But the more I think about that, the more I realize it's a total lie. I've been creating fiction all my life. I just forgot about those moments somehow--or maybe, I didn't recognize what I was trying to do at the time.<br /><br />Take second grade, for example.<br /><br />In second grade, I had a rather uptight teacher whose name I can't recall, so let's just call her Mrs. Prim N. Proper. *snort-laugh*<br /><br />Anywho, Mrs. Proper gave us a pretty great assignment at one point during the year: we were to create a poetry collection. Meaning, not just one poem, but SEVERAL. I recall scribbling in my spiral-bound, wide-ruled notebook for ages that week. Every day brought a new idea, a new subject to explore. I wrote about flowers (I think it was spring outside, and in NC, that means thousands of daffodils). I wrote about my dog. Horses. The typical subjects.<br /><br />But then one day, I had this crazy idea.<br /><br />What if (see! I should have KNOWN)...what if there was a man whose face was painted on? What if he was like, made of fabric like a doll? I thought about how horrible that would be. I imagined him with a smooth, shiny face as pale as paper, yet made of cloth. A fabric a lot like satin, which I'd read about so often in <i>Vanity Fair </i>(Yes, I read it in second grade. Major nerd alert).<br /><br />I rattled off a couple of different versions of this man's story, but the short of it is that his face gets wet, and tragedy ensues. I thought it very touching and sad. I think I even cried as I illustrated the final page, which I placed at the very back of my poetry collection. This poem was my shining star. My great achievement. I thought for sure it would knock Mrs. Proper's socks right off.<br /><br />When it came time to present our poetry collections, I of course chose to read this particular poem to the class. I handed the book to my teacher, who glanced at the page to make sure it didn't contain any kind of blasphemy. As her eyes hit the page, she sucked in a breath. Her cheeks reddened. And I thought to myself, "Wow! My poem is so good, she's going to cry!"<br /><br />But of course, that's not what happened.<br /><br />Instead, Mrs. Proper adjusted her narrow, frameless glasses and stared at me with a look that could only be described as disappointed.<br /><br />"Why would you write this?" she demanded.<br /><br />As you can imagine, I had no answer.<br /><br />She stubbed her finger at the paper, jabbing at the title, which I'd lettered so neatly across the page. "Tell me why you would write this, Melanie."<br /><br />I looked at the words. I said them aloud. And her face miraculously softened.<br /><br />"Oh," she said. "I see."<br /><br />She grabbed an eraser from her desk and instructed me to fix my title. "Satin is spelled with an 'i'," she said, "Not an 'a'."<br /><br />That's right. I'd turned in a poem titled "Satan-faced Man" to my proper southern baptist teacher. But honestly, even after correcting my paper, I still wasn't sure what I'd done wrong.<br /><br />It wasn't until more than a decade later, when my mother forced me to purge my old papers from her storage space, that I found the poem and realized the significance of the mistake I'd made. What was just a simple spelling error for me was surely the talk of Mrs. Proper's Sunday table. Which just goes to show, you never know what tiny detail will define you. For a few seconds in the spring of second grade, I was a heathen poet of the highest order.<br /><br /><i>Short Stories feature my random anecdotes and ramblings, sometimes tied to writing and other times to life at large. If you're an author interested in sharing a short story of your own, please do get in touch!</i><br /><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/05/short-story-my-brief-flirtation-with.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-9015912571315404118Mon, 28 Apr 2014 04:00:00 +00002014-04-28T08:52:12.430-04:00IllustrationOn WritingAn Illustrated Guide to #MyWritingProcessThanks to the lovely <a href="http://louisegalveston.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Miss Louise Galveston</a> (whose hilarious gross-out book <a href="http://www.bythegraceoftodd.com/page1/index.html" target="_blank">BY THE GRACE OF TODD</a> is not to be missed), I doodled something for you guys. Here's my writing process, in one complicated, annotated, illustrated nutshell:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-heqZANyNtuE/U1qcgf6LZ8I/AAAAAAAABqY/c4GZ36CjdLg/s1600/MLC_process.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-heqZANyNtuE/U1qcgf6LZ8I/AAAAAAAABqY/c4GZ36CjdLg/s1600/MLC_process.jpg" height="640" width="558" /></a></div><br />As you can see, a lot goes on inside my head. If you'd like to read more about my process (which I love to gab about), check out these posts on <a href="http://www.melanieconklin.com/2013/11/using-outline-to-revise.html" target="_blank">outlining</a> and <a href="http://www.melanieconklin.com/2013/03/how-to-use-pretty-revision-tags.html" target="_blank">revision</a>. You can also find a TON of awesome writing posts from other authors on Le Twitter, under the hashtag <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23MyWritingProcess&amp;src=tyah" target="_blank">#MyWritingProcess.</a><br /><br />Right now, I'm working on revisions for my debut novel, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21424669-counting-thyme" target="_blank"><i>Counting Thyme</i></a>, as well as drafting my second MG book and a YA contemporary about a boy who believes love is a delusion. I'm drawn to all kinds of stories (especially fantasy, which I grew up reading!), but contemporary characters (and families) are the ones who give me all the feels. There's nothing quite like entering another person's world. Which, come to think of it, is I why I both read and write. Books are the bomb!<br /><br /><b>Now, let me introduce you to three fellow writers, who are each so awesome, it's barely acceptable to tag them all in the same post. They'll share their process next Monday, May 5th!</b><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VwnawEAjDD0/U1vLsCR8qII/AAAAAAAABqo/kl5Y_MCBjPQ/s1600/Becky+Albertalli+Headshots-Color-0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VwnawEAjDD0/U1vLsCR8qII/AAAAAAAABqo/kl5Y_MCBjPQ/s1600/Becky+Albertalli+Headshots-Color-0005.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a>There are some books you covet so much you can taste it. That's how I feel about Becky. I mean, her book. No, seriously. SIMON sounds like exactly the kind of endearing, unapologetically intelligent story that I love to read!<br /><br />Becky Albertalli is a child psychologist turned YA writer who lives in the not cool part of Atlanta with her husband, son, dog, and cat. Her debut, SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA, will be released in March of 2015 by Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins. Becky is represented by Brooks Sherman of The Bent Agency.<a href="http://beckyalbertalli.tumblr.com/" target="_blank"> Blog</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19547856-simon-vs-the-homo-sapiens-agenda?from_search=true" target="_blank">GoodReads</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/beckyalbertalli" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qLu-yHhrEwE/U1vLyPHJm8I/AAAAAAAABqw/g-QawGTfaQo/s1600/ronni2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qLu-yHhrEwE/U1vLyPHJm8I/AAAAAAAABqw/g-QawGTfaQo/s1600/ronni2.JPG" height="200" width="133" /></a>When it comes to heart and family, my good friend Ronni Arno is matchless, so I can't wait to read her MG debut about a girl who hides her family's celebrity status from her friends at boarding school. <br /><br />Ronni’s debut novel, RENEE REINVENTED, publishes with Simon &amp; Schuster/Aladdin in Fall 2015. Ronni stalks her kids and their friends for story ideas, kayaks, and eats chocolate…not usually at the same time. Ronni is rep'd by Sarah Davies of The Greenhouse Literary Agency.<a href="http://www.ronniarno.com/" target="_blank"> Blog</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21936941-renee-reinvented?from_search=true" target="_blank">GoodReads</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/ronniarno" target="_blank">Twitter </a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_otwNolN5QM/U1vL2yCopUI/AAAAAAAABq4/U3oLCy3XDyw/s1600/photo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_otwNolN5QM/U1vL2yCopUI/AAAAAAAABq4/U3oLCy3XDyw/s1600/photo1.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a>When I read MY 7TH GRADE LIFE IN TIGHTS, I couldn't believe how freaking funny it was--laugh out loud lines on every page! I may have wanted to smack Brooks (just a little), but really, I'm very happy for him (ie: unreasonably jealous).<br /><br />Brooks Benjamin is a MG writer, filmmaker, teacher, husband, SCBWI member, and father to a 75-pound demented German Shepherd mix named LeeLoo. Represented by the fantabulous Uwe Stender of TriadaUS Literary.<a href="http://cbrooksbenjamin.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"> Blog</a><span id="goog_1031718556"></span><span id="goog_1031718557"></span> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22011896-my-7th-grade-life-in-tights?from_search=true" target="_blank">GoodReads</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/brooksbenjamin" target="_blank">Twitter</a><br /><br /><br /><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/04/an-ilustrated-guide-to-mywritingprocess.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-4990514485281787065Wed, 16 Apr 2014 13:54:00 +00002014-04-16T09:54:49.415-04:00IllustrationscifiRecipe for a Storm Trooper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HLDRgpy2J7k/U06LII9-WGI/AAAAAAAABp0/Y-t04pasNFY/s1600/stormtrooper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HLDRgpy2J7k/U06LII9-WGI/AAAAAAAABp0/Y-t04pasNFY/s1600/stormtrooper.jpg" height="640" width="460" /></a></div><br />Because you need this information, obviously. Happy Wednesday! :)<br /><br /><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/04/recipe-for-storm-trooper.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-331407875417738570Thu, 27 Mar 2014 14:47:00 +00002014-03-27T10:51:17.163-04:00Book Reviewscontemporaryyoung adultStargirl, by Jerry Spinelli<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22232.Stargirl" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Stargirl (Stargirl, #1)" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1335947642m/22232.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22232.Stargirl">Stargirl</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12696.Jerry_Spinelli">Jerry Spinelli</a><br /><br />Stargirl is a timeless story about the battle between individuality and popularity in high school. I found the story well-paced, easy to take in, and relatable. There's nothing more captivating than the mystery of what makes an unusual person tick. I also love explorations about what makes us normal or unusual in the first place, as I think we can all relate to that confounding notion, no matter what stage we're at in life.<br /><br />It was fascinating to follow Leo's story as he and the rest of his classmates struggle with Stargirl's unfettered individualism. I had to know what would happen--both with Stargirl, and with Leo and his affections for her. While I wished I could have gotten to know Stargirl earlier in the narrative (through dialogue and more fully fleshed scenes), Spinelli's concise prose weaves an undeniable rhythm that stays with you long after you've finished reading. <br /><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6483009-melanie">View all my reviews</a>http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/03/stargirl-by-jerry-spinelli.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-3245646379179235134Sat, 22 Mar 2014 23:24:00 +00002014-04-16T09:55:22.738-04:00Short StoriesShort Story: The Day Snuffleupagus CriedWhen I was nine, I had a skateboarding accident. I wish I could say my injuries resulted from attempting a super-cool move, like an inverted 360 or something, but unfortunately, I was just pushing a skateboard up my neighbor's driveway on my knees. The board's front wheel caught a rock, and my right cheek caught a face-full of concrete, scraping off a solid stripe of flesh.<br /><br />When my initial shock twisted into searing pain, I started screaming. My friends, true to middle grade form, ran away, screaming as well, leaving me more utterly alone than I'd ever been in my life. But after a few minutes, my heroic (although slightly built) neighbor ran outside, scooped me up, and wobbled his way to my house with my 50lb frame in his arms.<br /><br />I remember that there was so much blood on his T-shirt. <i>My</i> blood.<br /><br />I remember Mom's reassuring calm, even as we drove to the doctor's office just up the road. (In Summerfield, NC, pretty much everything was "just up the road.")<br /><br />And then the strangest thing happened. Our doctor, who was young enough to seem friendly--although he had a beard that crept halfway down his neck, which was vaguely piratical in nature--asked my mom a question: would she mind if he hypnotized me to give me the two stitches I required?<br /><br />My mom, being the world's okayest mom, said: Sure!<br /><br />So then my doctor asked me to look at what may or may not have been a penny, and tell him about the latest episode of <i>Sesame Street</i>. So I did. My eyes drifted shut, and the episode played out as though projected directly onto my eyelids. Big Bird had a party, and he didn't invite Snuffleupagus. Naturally, Snuffleupagus cried. A lot. Then they made up.<br /><br />Then I woke up.<br /><br />Amazingly, I had two stitches right below my nose, and I hadn't felt a <i>thing</i>. Even by my mom's standards, this was a little bit crazypants. But honestly, I just thought it was the coolest thing ever. It wasn't unusual to believe in magic at that age.<br /><br />Just this past week, my four-year-old strained his neck, and I found myself in the chiropractor's office, being asked a question: would I mind if he adjusted my kid's neck? If you've never seen a chiro adjust a neck, you might think this is no biggie, but trust me: adjustments are precise but incredibly dramatic. I was thinking of my mom and Snuffleupagus and magic when I said yes. And wouldn't you know it, the adjustment worked.<br /><br />Sometimes in life, as in writing, the new stuff is terrifying...but those moments also hold the most potential. I feel this way fairly often when I'm writing. Some ideas are chock full of crazypants.&nbsp; But sometimes a little crazy unlocks a whole lot of magic--and those are the stories I love to read the most!<br /><br /><i>Short Stories feature my random anecdotes and ramblings, sometimes tied to writing and other times to life at large. If you're an author interested in sharing a short story of your own, please do get in touch!</i> <br /><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/03/short-story-day-snuffleupagus-cried.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-6887812934941650077Tue, 11 Mar 2014 21:15:00 +00002014-03-15T13:28:19.343-04:00Counting ThymeCounting Thyme to be published by Putnam!<span style="color: #444444;">I'm so, so thrilled to announce that <i>Counting Thyme</i>, my middle grade novel about a girl whose family relocates to NYC for her brother's cancer treatment, has sold to the lovely Stacey Barney at <a href="http://www.us.penguingroup.com/static/pages/publishers/yr/putnam.html" target="_blank">Putnam</a>! Here's the <a href="http://publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/61388-rights-report-week-of-march-10-2014.html" target="_blank">PW announcement</a> (!!!!!):</span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qn0-Ffsnuig/Ux98zcwJ55I/AAAAAAAABog/rU677iFigHA/s1600/announcement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qn0-Ffsnuig/Ux98zcwJ55I/AAAAAAAABog/rU677iFigHA/s1600/announcement.jpg" height="156" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #444444;">For as long as I can remember, books have been a magical part of my life. I can recall reading <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44186.The_Monster_at_the_End_of_this_Book_Sesame_Street_?from_search=true" target="_blank"><i>The Monster at the End of this Book</i></a> with my mother before bed, and wondering when a furry blue muppet would come to visit me. By third grade, I stayed up late into the night reading classics like <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10365.Where_the_Red_Fern_Grows" target="_blank"><i>Where the Red Fern Grows</i></a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24178.Charlotte_s_Web?from_search=true" target="_blank"><i>Charlotte's Web </i></a>by the light of our upstairs hallway, falling prey to the "just one more chapter" syndrome that now rules my life.</span><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0oVw4JgqIuo/Ux5WXct368I/AAAAAAAABoQ/Esb4wqlq2sw/s1600/photo+copy+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0oVw4JgqIuo/Ux5WXct368I/AAAAAAAABoQ/Esb4wqlq2sw/s1600/photo+copy+2.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An early revision manuscript</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #444444;"></span><br /><span style="color: #444444;">I find books miraculous. We have twenty-six letters in the English language, and a limited vocabulary, and yet writers create wonderful, new stories every single day. I'm so proud to become a part of that tradition!</span><br /><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span><span style="color: #444444;">Thank you to my critique partners, family, and friends for being so supportive, and of course my wonderful agent, Pete Knapp. I'm so excited to work with Stacey and Putnam to bring another miraculous collection of words into the world.</span><br /><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/03/counting-thyme-to-be-published-by-putnam.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-2833515299594328617Wed, 05 Mar 2014 22:03:00 +00002014-03-15T13:19:54.411-04:00Shameless AddictionsShameless Addictions: February EditionIn case you don't have enough things sucking time away from your life, I thought I'd share my latest fixations so that you can join in, too.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GYfzQaTNsA4/Uxecw-sUYbI/AAAAAAAABnU/exa0lVLYeaI/s1600/Vikings-vikings-tv-show-33662814-1024-768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GYfzQaTNsA4/Uxecw-sUYbI/AAAAAAAABnU/exa0lVLYeaI/s1600/Vikings-vikings-tv-show-33662814-1024-768.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vikings is back. It's on Thursday nights on the History channel. You have never seen the Norse culture/mythology like THIS.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O5M7N-S0c_E/UxedN5nRSqI/AAAAAAAABnc/VIiMU5WZKcw/s1600/walking-dead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O5M7N-S0c_E/UxedN5nRSqI/AAAAAAAABnc/VIiMU5WZKcw/s1600/walking-dead.jpg" height="320" width="297" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've hated zombies all my life. Seriously, NIGHT OF THE COMET scarred me. But I can't get enough of this show! What really reels you in is the humanity. Settings may change, but people don't.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CCVaY1unCNM/UxedqY_5S2I/AAAAAAAABno/3JWYCIysYHg/s1600/15790852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CCVaY1unCNM/UxedqY_5S2I/AAAAAAAABno/3JWYCIysYHg/s1600/15790852.jpg" height="320" width="249" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I purchased this book at my youngest son's book fair, and I've read it approximately 20 times since. IT IS SPECTACULAR.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/pXYWDtXbBB0" width="560"></iframe> <br />And finally, I'm obsessed with this cover of We Can't Stop. It's so incredible. Treat yourself to all of the covers by this group. Warning: there's a clown in the cover of Lorde's song.<br /><br />What are you obsessed with lately? Time to fess up and spread the love!<br /><br /><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/03/shameless-addictions-february-edition.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-217770543833359686Tue, 25 Feb 2014 14:23:00 +00002014-03-15T13:06:58.819-04:00On WritingA Shot of Inspiration<span style="color: #444444;">I was reminded of this poem today, when my critique partners and I were discussing words of inspiration. A poem titled "in Defeat" may not sound very inspiring on first glance, but ever since I read this in eighth grade for an English assignment, I've loved every word. It's one of the very few poems I have memorized. I keep a copy of it hanging on my wall. Today, I share it with you: </span><b><br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #444444;"><br />in Defeat<br /><br /><br /> Defeat may serve as well as victory<br /><br />To shake the soul and let the glory out.<br /><br />When the great oak is straining in the wind,<br /><br />The boughs drink in new beauty, and the trunk<br /><br />Sends down a deeper root on the windward side.<br /><br />Only the soul that knows the mighty grief<br /><br />Can know the mighty rapture. Sorrows come<br /><br />To stretch out spaces in the heart for joy.<br /><br /><br /> <br /> -- Edwin Markham. </span></b><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/02/a-shot-of-inspiration.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-6635591498431954995Tue, 18 Feb 2014 15:13:00 +00002014-02-18T10:13:11.549-05:00IllustrationA Hint of Spring<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a95KHqNyULs/UwN39CrinJI/AAAAAAAABlQ/CEQZUBaErlE/s1600/shrooms.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a95KHqNyULs/UwN39CrinJI/AAAAAAAABlQ/CEQZUBaErlE/s1600/shrooms.jpg" height="400" width="307" /></a></div><br />It's hard to believe that this is just around the corner. But it is. Right? Hello? *shovels snow*<br /><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/02/a-hint-of-spring.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-8672194470146187254Fri, 07 Feb 2014 00:06:00 +00002014-02-06T19:07:46.727-05:00Book Reviewscontemporaryyoung adultLove Letters to the Dead, Ava Dellaira<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18140047-love-letters-to-the-dead" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Love Letters to the Dead" border="0" height="200" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1390036655m/18140047.jpg" width="131" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18140047-love-letters-to-the-dead">Love Letters to the Dead</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7154109.Ava_Dellaira">Ava Dellaira</a><br /><br />It took me a while to process my reaction to this book, primarily because the prose is so gorgeous. I don't often fall for pretty words, but in this case, the imagery matches the main character's voice so well. Laurel broke my heart, not because of her tragic story, but because of the way she sees the world. She is closed off, trapped in her own head, trying to make connections through the letters she writes to dead artists--musicians, actors...people like Kurt Cobain and Judy Garland.<br /><br />The novel takes the form of Laurel's letters to these people. The epistolary form requires a bit of patience from the reader. The narrative can seem wandering and repetitive at times, even forced. But if you put yourself in the mindset of a teen actually writing these letters, they are more fascinating than anything else. Reading Laurel's story was an experience I will not soon forget. <br /><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6483009-melanie">View all my reviews</a><br /><br />&nbsp; http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/02/love-letters-to-dead-ava-dellaira.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-1720988716101086316Sun, 02 Feb 2014 16:23:00 +00002014-03-15T13:20:05.873-04:00IllustrationStories in Pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0iP6ihDgc18/Uu5wa-oXVjI/AAAAAAAABkk/HkKwtSFi-g8/s1600/row+houses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0iP6ihDgc18/Uu5wa-oXVjI/AAAAAAAABkk/HkKwtSFi-g8/s1600/row+houses.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></div><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/02/stories-in-pictures.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-488610132539986794Tue, 28 Jan 2014 20:39:00 +00002014-03-15T12:58:00.355-04:00On WritingSave. Your. Energy.There's this concept that one of my yoga teachers talks about: the idea of saving your energy. What I mean by that is, you know that moment, right after everyone in yoga does a partner exercise, and a burst of chatter and laughter takes over the room? Or, if not yoga, perhaps the moment right after you finish a run, or a swim, or any other kind of physical challenge? That moment is pure energy.<br /><br />Seriously. In my yoga class, our teacher often has to ring a bell to get our attention after one of these energy-blasting moments. That's how jazzed we all feel. Smiling. Chatting. Being loud as heck. Basically, we revert to being a class full of wild child three year olds for about 3 minutes, until our teacher reminds us to SAVE OUR ENERGY.<br /><br />At the moment you accomplish something (often a physical effort), your brain releases a rush of happy chemicals. You feel INCREDIBLE. You're instantaneously more extroverted and ready to gab. You can feel the energy rush through your limbs like electricity.<br /><br />You have a choice then: either let all that energy out by some means of release...OR, hold it inside, like a hot little ball of inferno, fully charged and ready to explode.<br /><br />Of course, saving your energy is not easy. But if you can hold onto that energized feeling and direct it inwards, you can use that energy for another challenge. In yoga, I hold onto my energy by staying silent and focused. Then my next arm balance or handstand is so much easier, because I have that charge stored up in my muscles, ready to go.<br /><br />The same principle applies to creative energy. You know that moment when you have a creative breakthrough, and you want to hop on twitter and gab gab gab? Or message a friend? Or text someone? Next time, try resisting that urge. Hold onto your energy. Feel the pressure of it in your chest, filling you up. Stay focused, and move forward with your work. You will delve deeper. You will roll through to another eureka. Or in the very least, the next challenge you face will be that much easier.<br /><br />Save your energy, friends. Put it to work for YOU. Happy writing, all!<br /><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/01/save-your-energy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5493497810399763130.post-7194333763107933150Wed, 08 Jan 2014 19:13:00 +00002014-03-15T13:32:39.108-04:00On WritingWeekly Twitter FavoritesBeta Reading Makes Good Writers!I babbled on about beta readers on Twitter today, and decided to put it all here for easy reference:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N3L9Qgih82g/Us2jJrVob2I/AAAAAAAABkU/l3fk7zuxadw/s1600/beta_reading.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N3L9Qgih82g/Us2jJrVob2I/AAAAAAAABkU/l3fk7zuxadw/s1600/beta_reading.jpg" /></a></div><br />http://www.melanieconklin.com/2014/01/beta-reading-makes-good-writers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Melanie Conklin)4